Saaf is a new product line developed by Dr. MahHussain-Gambles, a UK-based homeopath and pharmacologist. Her Hair Oil ($54.95/3.4 oz.) is part of a skin and bodycare line designed to be "Highly Effective, Totally Organic, Utterly Ethical." All products are vegetarian, alcohol-free, non-irradiated, free from Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs), Halal and Kosher.

The hair oil is represented as being for fine, flyaway hair and split ends, but I found it especially effective on my thick and dry hair. I rub two or three drops between my hands, and apply it to the length of my wet hair. It adds softness, defrizzes and absorbs quickly. Ingredients include Mustard Seed oil, Sesame oil, Neem extract and natural Vitamin E; Rosemary, Bay Leaf and Ylang-Ylang essential oils. While this oil is pricey, it's quite concentrated, and I'd estimate my bottle will last at least a year.

Beautorium, a new online beauty boutique, is the exclusive US distributor for Saaf. They also sell a variety of hard-to-find, organic, international products--and offer wonderful customer service.

Waxing isn't fun, but Parissa'sExpress Wax Strips ($9) are easy to use, virtually painless and get the job done.

The Express strips are designed for face and bikini; I've only used them on my face. Each box includes eight double-sided wax strips and a vial of azulene oil. You separate the strips, press against your upper lip chin or brow line, and pull off. Each strip can be reused several times to get rid of any errant hairs, and any wax left on your face can be easily removed with the azulene oil. It's fast and takes little to no expertise.

Parissa also sells a variety of other waxing systems for the rest of your body.

Until I discovered artisan soapmakers like Lily Gulch, I hadn't used bar soap in at least 15 years, finding it poison to my dry skin. Of course, the only bar soap I'd ever used was the junk from the supermarket or so-called "glycerine" bars I bought at various places. I didn't know that those soaps weren't soaps at all, but detergents. I just knew they didn't work, and I stuck to gels.

Lily Gulch has been producing old-fashioned, handmade, cold process soap in Evergreen, Colorado since 1995. They sell dozens of scented and unscented bars, and I've been testing their best-selling almond soap ($5.50/4.5 oz.) for the past couple of weeks. Tucked into my Soap Cinch, I'm enjoying the subtle almond fragrance as well as the fact it cleans well without leaving my skin dry and parched.

I refuse to keep my artisan soap in a soap dish, unless I'm interested in washing with a slimy, melting mess. Soap Cinch ($6.85) has come up with a new take on a soap keeper. It's a hemp bag that holds most sizes of bar soap and doubles as a washcloth/exfoliator. There's an elastic tab at the bottom that allows you to connect two or more Soap Cinches to form a back scrubber.

The first time you see the SupracorStimulite Bath Mitt, it looks like it's made of some sort of bubble wrap, but it's actually a proprietary material called Stimulite® Honeycomb. It's available in a variety of lifestyle and medical products, including bath mitts and facial sponges.

Stimulite® is naturally anti-fungal and anti-bacterial. You can use the Bath Mitt ($32) wet with soap or shower gel for cleansing, or for dry brushing of your skin to encourage cell turnover and lymph system stimulation.